Fall Syllabus 2025

Since graduation, I've craved intellectual stimulation in a structured format to fill the education void.

One of my daily habits that I implemented during the pandemic is learning something new, whether that's by reading a newsletter, watching a video essay, listening to a history podcast, or trying out a new skill. It has been a fun journey as I get to dip my toes in various interests; however, it hasn't allowed me to delve deeper into a particular subject.

In July, I was toying with the idea of building a fall syllabus where I flesh out a self-study plan for the various topics that I want to dedicate focus time to. I was inspired by UnJaded Jade's Anti-Brainrot Day, in which she dedicates 8 hours a day to studying all the things that she has saved. What started as a table on Notion is now a schedule filled with videos, articles, and podcasts that I plan on tuning in to every day.

I posted a snippet of my fall syllabus on Instagram, and several people responded to it, mainly sharing the sentiment of lifelong learning and expressing enthusiasm for a self-paced, self-guided learning plan. I know I'm not the only one with this desire, as there has been a rise in collective learning initiatives and spaces. Lectures On Tap tickets sell out within hours of their release. I've only ever attended one session because it's nearly impossible to secure tickets unless you have notifications set up on your phone. Lit Girl is a full-service marketing and event planning team that has fostered a literary community through their curated syllabus on Substack. Lately, the algorithm has been feeding me videos of people building their personal curriculum, with many folks referencing @xparmesanprincessx as their source of inspiration.

This trend of posting personal curricula reminded me of Celine Nguyen's popular essay on research as a leisure activity. It's an incredible read and something I think about often.

With the rise of AI-reliance and brain-rot content, people are combating anti-intellectualism through community-oriented events and hobbies that feed the mind. A creator I recently came across shared a niche hobby of writing research papers to digest and articulate the topics that they have learned.

As you can tell from my algorithm, I've been fascinated with the idea of lifelong learning in a methodical way.

I've been toying with the idea of starting a discourse club after coming across a TikTok user, @biancamfernandez8, who shared the concept of discourse dinner. Instead of reading a book, everyone brings articles on a specific topic to dinner and reads together. Ideally, the articles range in perspectives to have a more well-rounded conversation. You are encouraged to bring printed copies to annotate and highlight specific points. No prior knowledge or reading is required to facilitate a space that fosters simultaneous learning.

I think it's a wholesome activity to do with friends, especially if people's perspectives differ. Everyone gets to articulate their thoughts, challenge their assumptions, and expand their minds. As long as everyone is receptive to each other's opinions and thoughts with no bad faith participation, I genuinely believe that it will strengthen bonds and open up a new world for everyone. It's also nice to learn in community with others, because it gets you outside your internet echo chamber.

If anyone is interested in joining a discourse club, let me know! I would love to facilitate something virtually or in person.

I'm excited to embark on my fall syllabus as summer winds down and the weather starts to cool. One of the ways I'm keeping myself accountable is a bi-monthly series on the blog, which will serve as a notebook of sorts to document my learnings and takeaways. The fall syllabus starts in September and ends in October, which is a pilot program to gauge if this is sustainable.

The topics of this syllabus include futures thinking, philosophy, arts, and culture. I'm also taking Spanish lessons on Rosetta Stone (shout out to the Jersey City Public Library for this free resource!)

For winter, I had the idea of a writer's intensive where I round up interviews, essays, and reading materials focusing on a prolific writer. Every week, I will focus on one writer, deep diving into their work and background. Ideally, I can work up the appetite to read their catalog of work consecutively for a fuller understanding of their work and how it has evolved. As I'm still in the process of job hunting, I don't know how feasible this is once I secure a job (fingers crossed!), but I like the idea of doing something along those lines.

As the creator @xparmersanprincessx reminds us, the beauty of this process is that everything can be done at your pace. There's no deadline, so do what you can and follow whatever piques your interest. Your curiosity should serve as your compass when building your syllabus.

For further reading on lifelong learning, I highly recommend Postcards by Elle's how to get smart again series on Substack. Her series has been a source of inspiration for me. I also recommend checking out The Syllabus Project as a resource if you need some guidance on where to start!